A common denominator in pathogenesis of most chronic diseases is the involvement of oxidative stress. The antioxidant defense system has many components. A deficiency in any of these components can cause a reduction in overall antioxidant status of an individual. It was aimed to assess the total antioxidant status in diabetic, non-diabetic and senile patients with, cataract, cardiovascular complications and without complications. One hundred eighty-six patients and control subjects were selected. Among them thirty three were diabetic patients without any clinical evidence of chronic diabetic complications, thirty two were diabetic patients with cardiovascular complications, thirty were non-diabetic patients with cardiovascular complications, thirty were diabetic patients with cataract, thirty were non-diabetic patients with cataract and thirty-one apparently normal, age, sex and weight matched control subjects were investigated. All these patients were selected on clinical grounds from National Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Karachi and Eye Ward Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi, Pakistan. Total antioxidant status were significantly decreased (P<0.001) in all diabetic patients with and without complication and non-diabetic patients with same complications as compared with control subjects. Fasting plasma glucose was increased (P<0.001) in all diabetic patients with and without complications and correlated significantly with glycosylated hemoglobin and serum fructosamine concentrations. Fasting plasma glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin and serum fructosamine were not different in diabetic patients with and without complications. Fasting plasma glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, serum fructosamine and total serum protein were not different in non-diabetic patients with same complications as compared with control subjects.